Healthy Food Finds: Brown Bag Lunches

All too often hectic mornings leave no time to pack something
nutritious for lunch. Then when lunchtime rolls around you're forced to settle
for fast food or order something less than nutritious — or worse yet,
skip the meal altogether! Luckily we've rounded up some better-for-you convenience
foods that require little to no prep, are healthier choices than takeout and
delivery, and have staying power that will keep you satisfied until dinner. Stock
your kitchen with these brown-bag staples and take the guesswork out of lunch
prep on days when going homemade just isn't an option!

Applegate Organics Turkey

Sandwiches
are the standard go-to meal for lunch. But ordering from delis or restaurants
often means little control over ingredients — and lunch meat is notoriously
high in sodium! Skip the bloat and make
a quick sammy with Applegate Farms deli meat. With just 50 calories a serving,
the fat-free organic turkey has no fillers, artificial ingredients, sweeteners,
or by-products. Spices like parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme up the flavor
without adding calories or sodium: Clocking in at just 360 mg, the sodium level
is half that found in typical cold cuts.

Sargento Cheese

What's a
sandwich without cheese? Prevent the slice from taking your sandwich off the
calorie deep end by opting for Sargento's slices. Whether you're watching your
fat intake or more worried about sodium, the brand has a line to fit your
dietary concern. The Ultra Thin variety
boasts just 40 calories a slice, while the reduced-fat and reduced-sodium
slices still deliver the flavorful punch of your full-fat and sodium-packed cheese
favorites.

Amy's Light & Lean Pizza

Go-to Flavors:
Italian
Vegetable Pizza, Cheese Pizza

Does the
local pizza joint know you by name? Ditch the oily cheese and calorie-heavy
dough and stock your freezer with Amy's lighter take on your favorite slice.
With just 6 grams of fat and 270 calories, the thin-crust pizza will still
satisfy your cravings but save you some major post-lunch guilt. Sneak in some
veggies with the Italian Vegetable variety (topped with a delicious combo of
spinach, artichokes, mushroom, and cheese), or go simple with the plain Cheese
Pizza. Both pack a hefty dose of protein — simply pop the pie in the
microwave for a filling midday meal.

Campbell's Go Soup

Soup can be
a comforting, delicious lunch option, especially in the colder months. But many
handheld and on-the-go varieties are more liquid than anything, which is less
than filling and leaves us vulnerable to making a four o'clock vending-machine
trip! Luckily, Campbell's line of to-go soups takes the meal from skimpy to satisfying
— packing every microwavable pouch with zesty spices, vegetables, and
chunks of meat for a bold flavor that'll appease your taste buds and your grumbling stomach. Grab a pouch
in the morning for a meal that can be ready in just two minutes!

Dr. Praeger's Pancakes

Go-to Flavors:
Zucchini
and Carrot, Root Vegetable, Spinach

Pancakes
aren't just for breakfast anymore — Dr. Praeger's has reinvented the
brunch staple by packing them full of delicious veggies and spices and serving
them up in the freezer section. Each variety is less than 100 calories and made
up of just a short list of all-natural ingredients. Free of cholesterol, saturated
fat, and GMO's, the microwavable cakes are a breath of fresh air in the freezer
aisle, where preservatives and sky-high fat and sodium levels fill the shelves.
Keep a box in the freezer at work, and you'll have six patties on hand for a
quick and filling lunch in a pinch.

GoPicnic Ready-to-Eat Meals

Have a mini
picnic at your desk with these ready-to-eat boxed meals. All 15 varieties are
free from trans fats, high-fructose corn syrup, MSG, and artificial flavors.
Plus the line features meals designed for specific dietary needs as well, whether
you follow a gluten-free, vegan, or kosher diet, or you avoid certain
ingredients because of food allergies. Each variety is composed of five
individually wrapped foods (plus utensils!), rounding out a nutritionally
balanced meal with a major convenience factor.

Green Giant Just for One

You may
think you're making a smart choice by ordering veggies from a local deli or
restaurant, but after being sautéed in oil and doused in butter sauce, many
veggie dishes are major calorie bombs. But what if you could enjoy a portable,
single-serving veggie dish for just 40 calories? It's true! Green Giant's line
of steam trays combines delicious whole vegetables with savory seasonings and
sauces for a super low-calorie microwavable meal ready in minutes. The Broccoli, Carrots & Italian
Seasoning variety packs a flavor punch into a tiny 40-calorie
serving. And if it's a buttery sauce you crave, you can enjoy the Corn &
Peas in Basil Butter Sauce for a guiltless 80 calories. Pair with brown rice for a filling midday meal.

Healthy Choice Baked! Entrées

Go-to Flavors:
Slow
Roasted Turkey Bake, Roasted Chicken and Potatoes

If you tend
to crave a heartier midday meal, these microwavable dishes will fit the bill. The
savory mix of lean turkey or chicken with vegetables and a light, flavor-packed
sauce rivals any takeout dish, with just a fraction of the calories and fat. No
variety in the line has more than 350 calories (and that includes pasta-dish
favorites like fettuccine Alfredo and lasagna!). The Slow Roasted Turkey Bake delivers
an explosion of fall flavor with juicy turkey medallions, sweet butternut
squash, green beans, and roasted potatoes topped with gravy — for
only 180 calories!

Minute® Ready to Serve Rice

Go-to Flavor: Black Beans & Rice

Minute Rice® has long been a lifesaver come dinnertime, but it has now earned a place on the lunch menu too with the new line of single-serve cups, ready in just 90 seconds. The Black Beans & Rice variety has one cup of beans and one cup of rice packaged together, flavored with a Latin-inspired sauce including tomatoes, onions, and green and red peppers. After heating in the microwave, you simply pour the beans over the rice for a protein-packed meal, full of flavor.

Peanut Butter & Co. Single Serving Packets

Go-to Flavors:
Smooth
Operator, The Bee's Knees

Mix up your
weekday meals by going a little nutty. Peanut butter can make for a filling,
healthy lunch when eaten in the right portions, and these all-natural single-serving
packets have already done the work for you!
Stash some in your purse, desk drawer, or car for a healthy lunch option
in a pinch. The protein-rich portable packs pair perfectly with whole-grain
crackers or whole-wheat toast, or you can use as a dip for celery and apples.

Ready Pac Bistro Bowls

Go-to Flavors:
Mediterranean,
Cranberry Walnut, Italiano

Many of us
have the good intention of eating a salad for lunch, but when schedules get
hectic, packing your own at home can be too time-consuming, and ordering salads
out can be expensive! For days when you want to eat healthfully but are
strapped for time, have a Ready Pac Bistro Bowl in the fridge to grab on your
way out the door. For fewer than 300 calories, each bowl is perfectly crafted
with a flavorful blend of ingredients that delivers major flavor and a dose of
protein for an easy and nutritious lunch option.

Healthy Choice Café Steamers

Another home
run by the Healthy Choice team, these steamer meals are a great alternative to
ordering delivery when you're craving ethnic cuisine. Surprisingly flavorful
for a microwavable meal, these preservative-free steamer bowls come in an assortment
of appetizing varieties all under 300 calories. The Italian-inspired meals are 100-percent
natural with a fresh taste, making the perfect easy lunch choice for those who usually
indulge in carb-heavy pasta meals. And the Asian varieties give you the tangy,
savory flavor of your favorite dishes — from beef teriyaki to General Tso's
chicken — in smart portion sizes that allow you to indulge without the guilt.
Plus, they deliver a healthy dose of protein to fill you up.

Tandoor Chef

Go-to Flavors:
Channa
Masala, Chicken Tikka Masala

If Indian
cuisine is more your style, stock up on these microwavable meals from Tandoor
Chef. At just 190 calories, the Channa Masala is a better-for-you way to enjoy
the spicy, flavorful cuisine. Made with all-natural ingredients you can recognize,
the dish features chickpeas sautéed with onions, tomatoes, peppers, and flavorful
spices like turmeric and ginger for a flavor-packed vegetarian dish. For meat
lovers, the Chicken Curry and Chicken Tandoori With Spinach both offer up the
meaty zest the cuisine is famous for, for around 300 calories each.

Bumble Bee Sensations

Go-to Flavors:
Sundried
Tomato & Basil, Lemon & Pepper

Tuna is a
lunchtime favorite, but dealing with a can on the go can be too much of a
hassle, and ordering a sandwich from the deli often results in the addition of
fatty mayo. Stock the pantry with a few of these Bumble Bee seasoned tuna
medleys for a super-easy grab-and-go lunch option — no can opener needed! The
quick-open lid allows you to enjoy lightly marinated tuna fish in a snap, for less
than 200 calories a bowl (and more than 20 grams of protein!). Enjoy straight up
or spread on whole-grain crackers or whole-wheat toast.

Cedar's Salads

Go-to Flavors:
Quinoa Salad,
Aegean Edamame Salad, Chickpea Salad

Craving a
healthy salad but don't have the time to assemble it at home? A container of
your favorite greens, plus one of Cedar's premade salads, equals a delicious,
healthy meal in under a minute! At just
40 calories per two tablespoons, the flavor-packed recipes are the perfect way
to bulk up your lettuce when you have no time for chopping and dicing. The
varieties feature delicious combos of simple, fresh ingredients like grains,
beans, vegetables, and spices. Lightly dressed with oil and vinegar, these
salads even have your dressing covered!

Verlasso Salmon

Go-to Flavor:
Smoked Salmon

Eating at your desk doesn't have to mean boring food. Up the
class factor of your meal with these perfectly portioned three-ounce smoked-salmon
pouches. All-natural and preservative-free, smoked salmon makes a delicious,
diet-friendly meal, with just 90 calories per serving, 3.9 grams of fat, and 14
grams of filling protein. Plus, the convenient slices are ready to eat right
from the package! Layer on whole-grain crackers for a satisfying lunch that
packs a healthy omega-3 punch!

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